Ball joint with wear indicator means
AssigneeAutomotive Products plc
InventorDavid John Rowland Farrant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is concerned with a pivot joint having means for indicating wear thereof. The pivot joint comprises a headed pin, a socket in which the head is engaged and from which the pin projects, mating bearing surfaces on the head and the socket such that the pin is movable angularly with respect to the socket, a wear indicator extending through an aperture in the sockets and having its inner end engageable with the head, and a diaphragm which extends between the indicator and the socket to seal the bearing surfaces against ingress of foreign matter through the aperture.
Claims6
A pivot joint comprising a pin having a head thereon;
- a socket comprising a housing receiving said head and defining a first aperture through which said pin projects;
- mating bearing surfaces on said head and said socket such that the pin is movable angularly with respect to the socket;
- a second aperture in said socket;
- a wear indicator received in said second aperture and having an inner end engageable with said head;
- and a flexible diaphragm extending between the indicator and the socket and fixedly secured around its periphery to a portion of said socket to seal the bearing surfaces against ingress of foreign matter through the second aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.